State Mulls Increasing Funding Requests From Schools In Face Of Shrinking Budgets

The Illinois State Board of Education is facing a growing number of funding requests from  schools across the state while it figures out how to manage shrinking budgets.  At its recently monthly meeting, the board heard details of funding increase requests that total one-point-seven billion dollars.  State law mandates Illinois to add 350-million dollars each year, with most of the money earmarked for districts that are the least adequately funded.  Advocates want to push a 550-million dollar increase but Superintendent Tony Sanders says he’s unwilling to go beyond the 350-million dollar mark.